Alternating current to direct current converter



Jan., 21, 1936n Y A. E. CHERETON 210239193 AJTERNATING CURRENT TO DIRECT CURRENT CQNVERTERv Filed Oct. 5, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l lu up u w www A T TORNEY Jan. 21, 1936. A. B. CHERETON @ZSM ALTERNATING CURRENT TO DIRECT CURRENT CONVERTER Filed oct'. 5, 1934 2 sheets-sheet 2 A TTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 21, 1936 UNITED ASTATES PATENT OFFICE ALTERNATING CURRENT TO DIRECT CURRENT CONVERTER Michigan Application October 5, 1934, Serial Nc. 746,957

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved combined current rectifier and transformer.

More particularly, the invention relates to improved portable current rectifying and trans- 5 forming units of the character employed in utilizing conventional alternating current circuit to operate low voltage, appliances and to charge storage batteries.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide a unitary and compact device of this character in which the necessary structural parts of the transformer and rectifier may be mainly relied upon to rigidly retain various parts of the device in a predetermined assembled relationship without the aid of complicated and weighty fixtures and excessive numbers of bolts, screws, rivets and similar securing means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind which is confined within a casing and provided with a conveniently accessible circuit protecting fuse located externally of the casing.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an improved transformer frame which has ears that extend beyond the core and coil of the transformer so as to support the current rectifying element of the unit in a compact relationship with respect to the transformer and independently of the casing of the device; to provide a unitary combined transformer and rectifier unit which is conveniently removable from its casing in an assembled condition; and to provide flanges on the conventional end plates of a current rectier which register with the ears of the transformer and which are adapted to be affixed thereto by conventional attaching means.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a fuse plate that is normally confined in the casing of the device and which carries fuse coupling elements that extend through openings in one of the casing walls so as to accommodate removal and replacement of the fuse from the exterior of the casing; to provide an improved means for supporting the fuse plate and positively so locating the fuse coupling elements thereof with respect to the transformer and rectifier as to bring the fuse coupling elements into accurate alignment and concentricity with the openings in the casing through which they extend when the transformer and rectifier units are anchored in the casing; to provide sufliciently accurate alignment cf the fuse coupling elements and their apertures to assure freedom from short circuiting of such elements by contact with the casing wall without the aid of insulating material or excessively large apertures in the casing wall through which the coupling elements extend; and to provide supporting means of this character which is securable to the transformer and rectifier units by one of the attaching members that 5 is relied upon to fix these parts of the device together.

The above being among the objects of the present invention, the same consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations 10 of parts to be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and then claimed, having the above and other objects in view.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate 15 a suitable embodiment of the present invention and in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout the several different views,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of my improved unitary current modifying apparatus. 20

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View taken on the 25 line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1. 30

In the form* shown in the drawings, the improved combined rectifying and transforming apparatus includes a casing, generally designated in Fig. 1 by the numeral I0, having a front wall II and a rear open side I2 between which opposite 35 side walls I3 and Ill extend. The upper and lower extremities of the casing I0 are closed by upper and lower walls I5 and I6 respectively. Integrally formed on the upper wall I5 is an upwardly extending iiange l1 having a bayonet type open- 40 ing therein by which the casing may be conveniently suspended from a nail, screw or other similar supporting means, Formed in the front wall II of the casing adjacent the upper extremity thereof, are somewhat elongated openings I9 for 45 receiving fuse coupling elements, hereinafter more clearly set forth. The side walls I3 .and

I4 of the casing are provided with apertures in which grommets 2D and 2I, respectively, are inserted for the purpose of protecting the lead wires 50 which extend into the interior of the casing and connect with the apparatus confined therein.

Disposed in the interior of the casing I0 is a combined current rectifying and transforming unit which includes a transformer, generally des- 55 ignated by the num'eral 23, of the type commercially known as a bell transformer. The transformer 23 comprises a core 24 having a plurality of laminae which are secured together and to a frame structure by bolts 2E which extend through registering apertures in the core laminations and in frame side plates 23 and 21 disposed adjacent the opposite sides of the core. The frame side plates 23 and 21 are provided at their lower extremities with outwardly extending flanges Z8 and 29, respectively, which engage the lower wall I6 of the casing and which are rigidly secured thereto by screws 38. The side plate 21 has a pair of integral, spaced, upwardly extending ears 3| which are located adjacent the side edges thereof and disposed substantially parallel to its plane. Wound on the transformer core 24 are primary and secondary transformer coils7 the high voltage coil being electrically connected with alternating current input conductors 32 and the low voltage coil being electrically connected with'alternating current output conductors 33, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The free ends of the input conductors 32 are provided with a conventional plug coupling element 34 of the type used in connecting devices of this character with conventional house voltage circuits.

Disposed above the upper extremity of the core 24 of the transformer in overlapping relationship with respect thereto is a rectifier 35 of the type commercially known as a copper oxide rectifier. Any suitable rectifying apparatus may be employed, the copper oxide rectifier being shown in the drawings merely for the purpose of illustration. The rectier 35 includes a central bolt 33 upon which spaced-oxidized copper plates 31 are mounted, and between which are wound successive coils 38. These copper plates .are disposed in planes Substantially normal to the planes of the side plates 25 and 21 of the transformer core and the end plates of the rectifier are provided with outwardly extending angular anges 33 having end portions 39 disposed in planes substantially parallel to the planes of the ears 3l of the core side plate 21, the end portion of each-flange 39 being disposed adjacent one of the ears'3l of theY side plate 21 of the transformer corev frame, respectively, and electrically insulated therefrom by a washer 4G. The ears 3l and the anges 39 1 are rigidly and detachably secured together by bolts 4l which extend through registering apertures in the ears and flanges respectively.

Mounted on the ear 3i and the ange 39 at the front extremity of the combined rectifying and transforming apparatus is a fuse supporting bracket which includes a plate 42 comprising dielectric material and an angular-shaped metal supporting bracket One end portion of the bracket 43 is rigidly fixed to the plate 32 and the other end portion 43 thereof is disposed adjacent and parallel to the plane of the ears 3 l. Mounted on the plate 42 are spa-ced fus-e coupling elements 44 which are registrable with and preferably adapted to be disposed concentrically with respect tothe openings i9 in the front wall of the casing lil when the rectifying and transforming apparatus is placed in the casing. The left hand fuse coupling element 44, shown in Fig. 2, is grounded on the supporting bracket 43 which is in turn dispos-ed in metal-to-metal contacting relationship with the adjacentY end portion of the flange 39. Integrally formed on the upper and lower edges of the inwardly extending end portion 4350i this angular supporting bracket 43, are protruding lips 45 which engage the edges of the end portions of the flanges 39 of the rectifier in substantially close fitting relationship. The contacting relationship between the adjacent sides of the end portions of the flanges 39 and the end portion 43' of the bracket 43, and the contacting relationship between the lips 45 of the latter and the edges of the end portions of the iianges 33 positively locate the fuse supporting bracket with respect to the transformer which is in turn positively located with respect to the casing l D by the flanges 29 and bolts 3!) by which they-are secured to the casing.

By virtue of this arrangement and construction of the parts of the apparatus and the manner in which they are xed together in a predetermined locational relationship, the fuse coupling elements 44 are maintained in accurate alignment with their apertures I9 as well as in concentric relationship with respect theretol so as to guard against short circuiting the fuse coupling elements by contact with the metal casing wall. This is accomplished without the aid of insulating ma` terial or excessively large openings in the casing for accommodating the fuse coupling elements which, when the apparatus is properly aselectrically connected with spaced plates 31 of therectifier which is in turn connected with direct current line conductors 41 and 48, as illustrated in Fig. 2.' The direct current line conductor 41 is directly connected to one of the plates 31 of theY rectifier and the direct current conductor 48 is electrically connected to the right hand fuse coupling element 44 shown in Fig. 2. The latter fuse coupling element is in turn connected with the left hand fuse element 44 by the fuse 46. This left hand fuse coupling element Y44 is, as set forth previously, grounded on the supporting bracket 43 which is in turn grounded on the iiange 39 of the transformer, the flange being electrically connected with the bolt 36 by the plate 31y on which it is integrally formed. The boltv 36 is'electrically connected internally of the rectifier with the other direct current output conductors, thereby providing a closed circuit between the two direct current lead wires.

' The transformer, rectifier and fuse-supporting bracket are, in the foregoing manner, rigidly secured together in a compact assembled relationship providing a unitary structure which may be conveniently removed from and inserted into the casing il] by simply removing the fuse 46, which operation may be performed from the exterior of the casing. The various parts of the device are stably secured together mainly by the necessary structure of the apparatus and without additional separate brackets and fixtures. i

Although but one specific embodiment of th present invention has been shown and described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made therein Without departing from the spirit and substance of the broad invention, the scope of which is cornmensurate with the appended claims.

I claim:

l. Current rectifying and transformingV apparatus including a casing having an opening in one wall for accommodating the passage of said apparatus therein and spaced openings in an opposite wall, a combined transformer and rectifier unit having all portions fixed in assembled relationship independently of said casing and removably insertable in the latter through the opening in said iirst mentioned casing wall, spaced fuse coupling elements mounted on said unit, each of said elements being registerable with one of said openings of said second mentioned casing Wall respectively and adapted to extend therethrough during insertion of said unit into said casing, and a fuse engaged in said casing and located externally of said casing.

2. Electrical apparatus including a casing having an opening in one Wall for accomodating the passage of said electrical apparatus thereinto and having spaced apertures in an opposite Wall, an instrument insertable in and securable to said vcasing in a predetermined relationship with respect thereto and having a protruding ear, a fuse support having fuse coupling elements thereon registerable with and extensible through said apertures and including a bracket engageable with one side of said ear and having a lip thereon engageable with an edge of said ear for maintaining said coupling elements in registering relationship with respect to said openings, means for securing said ear and bracket together, and a fuse engaged in said coupling elements and located externally of said casing.

3. Current rectifying and transforming apparatus including a casing having spaced openings therein, a transformer in said casing including a core, a frame fixed to said core comprising spaced side plates each having a flange securable to said casing and one of said side plates having integral projecting portions extending beyond an extremity of said core and disposed in a plane substantially parallel to one side thereof, a rectier disposed adjacent an extremity of said core in overlapping relation with respect thereto including spaced plates substantially normal to the plane of said ears and each having integral angular projecting portions substantially parallel to the plane of said ears and adjacent one of the latter respectively, a fuse support having fuse coupling elements thereon registerable with and extending through said openings and including a bracket having a part substantially parallel to and engageable with a side of one of said protruding portions and having a lip extending transversely of said side of said protruding portion and engaging an adjacent edge thereof for maintaining said coupling elements in registering relationship with respect to said openings, a member for securing said bracket and protruding portions together, and a fuse engaged in said coupling elements and located externally of said casing.

AVERY B. CHERETON. 

